A Hucknall man was guilty of racist road-rage on his way home from a funeral, a court was told.

Nathaniel Robert Cox (28), of Ogle Street, confronted a psychiatrist of Indian origin, who was driving along Vernon Road in Basford on 17th September last year.

Cox was in “a highly emotional state” after the funeral of a family member, Jonathan Hullis (defending) told Nottingham Magistrates’ Court.

However, there was no justification for the way in which he “completely over-reacted”, said Mr Hullis.

The psychiatrist had just completed the assessment of a patient at the Queen’s Medical Centre in Nottingham, and was following the police who were conveying the patient to Highbury Hospital in Bulwell.

Cox was a passenger in a car being driven by his partner that was close behind and over-reacted when the psychiatrist manoeuvred his vehicle at traffic lights.

Moments later, the psychiatrist again came across Cox’s vehicle, which had been “deliberately driven and positioned to intercept” him.

“Cox then got out of his car, swearing in an abusive and racist manner,” said prosecutor Zoe Henry.